Sampling apparatus



Dec. 31, 1963 J. p ECHTLER, JR 3,115,782

SAMPLING APPARATUS Filed April 4, 1961 INV EN TOR.

HIS ATTORNEY JOSEPH P. ECHTLER JR.

United States Patent 3,115,782 SAMPLING APPARATUS Joseph P. Echtler, Jr., Bridgeville, Pa., assignor to Consolidation Coal Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Apr. 4, 1961, Ser. No. 100,703 4 Claims. (Cl. 73422) This invention relates to sampling devices and more particularly to a sampling device for extracting samples of material from predetermined locations within a pressure vessel such as a pipeline or the like.

In many modern day processes, it is necessary to periodically extract samples of material from within a pressure vessel in order to maintain quality control of the process. Difliculty is often encountered in entering the pressure vessel and extracting the sample without upsetting the process to the extent that the sample obtained is, therefore, erroneous. The present invention is directed to a novel sampling device which permits ready access to the interior of a pressure vessel for removing a sample therefrom.

One application to which the present invention is particularly adapted is the extraction of samples from predetermined locations within a pipeline. In recent years, efforts have been made to transport coal through pipelines in the form of a water slurry of relatively fine coal particles. It has been found that the nature of the flow through the pipelines is dependent to a great extent upon the relative concentrations of the slurry at predetermined locations within the pipeline. For example, it has been determined that if the concentration of the slurry from the bottom of the pipeline to the top is relatively uniform, that is, the percentage of solids with respect to the percent of liquid in the slurry is the same throughout the vertical extent of the pipeline, then flowability of the slurry is greatly enhanced. The present invention is particularly adapted to collecting samples from predetermined positions within the pipeline so that the relative concentrations of the samples collected may be compared.

The present invention comprehends a sampler access conduit which is permanently affixed to the pressure vessel from which the sample is to be obtained. The sampler access conduit is valved so that under normal conditions no material from within the pressure vessel can escape through the access conduit. A novel sampling device has been developed which may be inserted through the sampler access conduit and the valve to collect a sample of material from within the pressure vessel. The novel sampler includes a core element which is first inserted into the pressure vessel so that core sample collecting compartments are positioned at the predetermined locations within the pressure vessel from which it is desired to collect a sample. After the core has been inserted into the pressure vessel, flow within the pressure vessel is permitted to stabilize so that a true sample may be obtained in the sample collecting compartments. Once flow has stabilized, a tubular sampler body is forced down over the core to entrap the samples of material within the core. The core and the tubular body are then withdrawn as a unit to convey the samples for examination.

With the foregoing considerations in mind, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved sampling device for extracting samples from within a pressure vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device by which samples of material may be extracted from predetermined locations within a pressure vessel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a sampling device which provides quick and easy access to a pressure vessel for removal of a sample therefrom.

3,115,782 Patented Dec. 31, 1963 These and other objects of this invention will become apparent as this description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

The single drawing is an elevational view in vertical section of the improved sampler of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing, a sampler 10 is shown mounted on a pressure vessel or pipeline 12 within which there is material to be sampled. The pipeline 12 has an inlet passage 14 formed therein and an inlet conduit section 16 secured thereto by welding or the like. Fixed to the inlet conduit section 16 is a plug valve body 18 which houses a conventional valve plug 20 having a flow passage 21 formed therethrough. The plug valve is conventional in that the plug is designed to be rotated so that the passage 21 may register with the internal passage in conduit section 16 to permit continuous passage from conduit 16 through the valve body 18 or the plug 20 may be turned 90 to close the inlet conduit section 16. To permit rotation of the valve plug, a valve plug stem 22 is formed integrally therewith and extends through a pack ing gland 24 to the exterior of the valve housing 18. An operating handle (not shown) may be secured to valve plug stem 22 to rotate the plug 20 when desired.

The plug valve is conventional in all respects and is preferably a full opening plug valve. By full opening plug is meant a round port valve in which the passage 21 is equal in area and shape to the internal passage through inlet conduit section 16. Also secured to the valve body 18 is an inlet conduit section 26 which is axially aligned with conduit 16 and the passage 21 through plug 20 to form a continuous sampler inlet conduit consisting of sections 16 and 26 and the plug valve. The inlet conduit section 26 has an enlarged externally threaded end portion 28 formed thereon. End portion 23 is designed to receive a sampler securing collar 30.

The sampler securing collar 30 is internally threaded at 32 to mate with the externally threaded portion 28 or conduit section 26. The collar 30 has a bore 30a formed therethrough in axial alignment with conduit sections 16 and 26. The internal diameter of bore 30a is smaller than the internal passage diameter of conduits 16 and 26. A fluid seal 31 which may be of the O-ring type is provided to sealingly connect conduit 26 with collar 30 when collar 30 is threaded into place on conduit 26.

An elongated tubular sampler body 34 is slidingly received within bore 30a of sampler securing collar 30. A fluid seal 36 is provided to sealingly connect the collar 30 with the sampler tubular body 34 but to permit sliding movement of the body 34 relative to collar 30. At its lower end, the tubular sampler body 34 has a radially outwardiy extending flange 38 formed thereon. Flange 38 is of such radial dimension that it passes freely through the internal passage within conduit sections 16 and 26 and freely through the flow passage 21 within the valve plug 20. Flange 38, however, may not pass through the bore 30a formed in the sampler securing collar 30 but rather abuts collar 30 if tubular body 34 is sufficiently withdrawn from conduit section 26. At its upper end, the tubular body member 34 has handles 40 formed thereon to facilitate sliding movement of the body 34 relative to collar 30.

The upper end of tubular sampler body 34 is closed by an end wall 42. End wall 42 has a bore 44 therethrough Which is coaxial with the tubular body 34 and which is likewise coaxial with the conduit sections 16 and 26. A

boss 46 is formed on the end wall 42 coaxially with the bore 44, and boss 42 has a transverse locking bore 48 formed therein.

Extending axially into the tubular sampler body 34 through the bore 44 in end wall 42 is a core shaft 50. Core shaft 50 has a handle 52 formed thereon to facilitate sliding of the shaft 50 relative to the sampler body 34. A seal 51 is positioned Within the body end wall 42 to surround shaft 50 to prevent leakage of fluid around shaft 5t? out of body 34. The lower end of shaft 59 has a core portion 54 affixed thereto. Core portion 54- is formed by securing a plurality of disc members '56 to shaft St? in spaced relation to each other. Each of the disc members 56 has a seal 58 formed on its outer periphery. The discs 56 are generally cylindrical in shape and fit with close clearance into the internal cylindrical passage in the tubular sampler body 34. T he spaces between successive disc members 55 are designated sample collecting compartments 60 since, when the tubular body 34 is disposed over the core 54, there is an annular sample compartment formed between adjacent discs 56 and the wall of the sampler body 34.

To regulate sliding movement of the tubular sampler body 34 relative to the shaft St a stop member 62 is secured to shaft 50 so that when end wall d2, abuts stop 62 further movement of the tubular body 34 downwardly over the shaft 50 may not take place. A second stop 63 is provided to limit movement of shaft 5% relative to the body 34 in order to fix the maximum distance that core 54 may protrude from body 34. Above stop member 62 within shaft Sll is formed a locking bore 64 which extends transversely through shaft 5%. When end wall 42 abuts stop member 62, the locking bore 43 within the boss 46 registers with locking bore 64 in shaft 50 so that a lock pin 66 may be inserted through the bores to lock the shaft 50 relative to the tubular body 34.

With the foregoing construction and arrangement of parts in mind, the operation of the device to secure samples from within the pipeline 12 may be considered in'some detail. Initially, until it is desired to sample material from within pipeline 12, the sampler securing collar 30, the tubular body 34, and the core shaft Sll with core 54 are not installed on the pipeline. The valve plug 20 remains positioned so that the sampler inlet conduit consisting of sections in and 26 is closed and no material may escape from the pipeline. To obtain a sample, the sampler is first secured to the inlet conduit with the valve plug 20 in the closed position. To accomplish this installation, the core shaft 519 is positioned so that stop 62 abuts the end wall 42 of the sampler body 34. The securing collar 3% is moved downwardly over the tubular body 34 until it abuts flange 3%. The securing collar 39 is then threaded onto the enlarged externally threaded end portion 28 of conduit 26. The valve plug 20 is then rotated to the positions shown in the drawing so that the inlet conduit is opened and the core shaft 50 may be forced downwardly into the pressure vessel to the position shown in the drawing. When the core shaft 50 is so positioned, the tubular body 34 is restrained by handles 40 from entering the pressure vessel or pipeline 12 as shown in the drawing.

Once in the position shown in the drawing, flow is allowed to stabilize so that material in the various vertic-a1 sample compartments 6% of the core 54 reflects the actual process condition within the pipeline 12. After flow has stabilized, the tubular sampler body 34 is forced downwardly over the core 54 to entrap samples within the compartments fill between the discs 56. When so forced down over core 54, the body 34 is in position so that locking bores 46 and 64 register with each other. Lock pin 66 is then inserted to lock the shaft '59 relative to a tubular sampler body 34 so that the body 34 will not move relative to core 34 and thereby cause loss of the entrapped samples. Once locked by pin 66, the core 54- and the tubular body 34 are removed as a unit from the pressure vessel 12 and pulled out until the flange contacts the sampler securing collar 3ft. At this time, the valve plug 2%? is rotated to the closed position. The collar 30 is then unthreaded from conduit 26 and the charged sarnpler may be carried away to convey the samples entrapped therein to a remote location for examination.

It will be noted that the sampler of the present invention permits a highly accurate sample of conditions within the pressure vessel to be obtained. Flow may stabilize around the extended core before the body 34 is forced over the core to entrap the samples and permit them to be carried away. Once at the location for examination of the samples, the individual samples may be discharged individually into separate containers by incrementally moving the shfit 5e downwardly relative to tubular sampier body 34.

The sampler inlet conduit and valve are permanently retained on the pressure vessel so that samples may periodicaily be taken with a minimum of effort. The sampler need only be attached to the inlet conduit, the valve opened, the samples taken, the valve closed, and the sampler detached to have samples of the material from predetermined locations within the pressure vessel.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, i have explained the principle, preferred construction, and mode of operation of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiments. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for sampling material from within a pressure vessel comprising a valved inlet conduit communicating with the interior of said vessel, sampler securing means sealingly and removably connected to the outer end of said inlet conduit, a tubular sampler body slidingly and sealingly received within said securing means and movable into said pressure vessel through said valved inlet conduit, a sampler core coaxially received within said tubular sampler body and having a sample receiving compartment formed therein, said sampler core slideable into said pressure vessel so that material within said vessel can enter said core receiving compartment, said tubular sampler body slideable into said vessel over said core to entrap a sample of material within said core cornpartment, and said core and said tubular body being removable simultaneously from said vessel to withdraw said entrapped samples from said vessel.

2. Apparatus for sampling material from predetermined locations within a pressure vessel comprising an inlet conduit having an outer end portion and an inner end fixed to the wall of said pressure vessel to communicate with the interior of said vessel, valve means in said inlet conduit operable to open or close said conduit, sampler securing means sealingly and removably connected to said conduit outer end portion, a tubular sampler body slidingly and sealingly received within said securing means for reciprocation relative thereto, said sampler body movable into said pressure vessel through said inlet conduit, a sampler core coaxially received within said tubular sampler body and having a plurality of sample receiving compartments formed therein, said sampler core slideable into said pressure vessel so that material within said vessel can enter said sample receiving compartments, said tubulair sampler body slide-able into said vessel over said core to entrap samples of material within said core sample receiving compartments, and said core and said tubular body being removable simultaneously from said vessel to withdraw said entrapped samples from said vessel.

3. Apparatus for sampling material from predetermined locations within a pressure vessel comprising an inlet conduit having an outer end portion and an inner end fixed to the wall of said pressure vessel to communicate with the interior of said vessel, full opening valve means in said inlet conduit operable to sealingly close said conduit or to open said conduit for passage of a sampler therethrough, a sampler securing means sealingly and removably connected to said conduit outer end portion, a tubular sampler body slidingly and sealingly received within said securing means for reciprocation relative thereto, said sampler body movable into said pressure vessel through said inlet conduit, a sampler core coaxially received within said tubular sampler body and having a plurality of sample receiving compartments formed therein, said sampler core slideable into said pressure vessel through said inlet conduit and said valve, said sampler core positionable so that said sample receiving compartments are in said predetermined locations whereby material within said vessel at said predetermined locations can enter said core sample receiving compartments, said tubular sampler body slideable into said vessel through said inlet conduit and said valve over said core to entrap samples of material within said core sample receiving compartments, locking means to lock said core and said tubular sampler body to each other with said samples entrapped therein, said core and said tubular body being removable simultaneously from said vessel to thereby withdraw said entrapped samples from said vessel, said valve eloseable to prevent flow of material out of said pressure vessel, and said sampler body and said sampler core being removable from said inlet conduit outer end portion as a unit to convey said samples to a remote location for examination.

4. Apparatus for sampling material from predetermined locations within a pressure vessel comprising an inlet conduit having an outer end portion and an inner end fixed to the wall of said pressure vessel to communioate with the interior of said vessel, fiull opening valve means in said inlet conduit operable to sealing'ly close said conduit or to provide full opening for said conduit whereby a sampler may be inserted therethrough, said inlet conduit being externally threaded on said outer end portion to receive an internally threaded sampler securing collar, a sampler securing collar threaded onto said conduit and slidingly and sealingly receiving a tubular sampler body for reciprocation relative to said collar, said sampler body movable into said pressure vessel through said inlet conduit and said open valve, a sampler core coaxially r ceived within said tubular sampler body and reciprocal relative there-to, said sampler core having an elongated shaft portion with a plurality of spaced disc members secured thereto, said spaced disc members forming a plurality of sample receiving compartments therebetween, sealing means fixed to each of said disc members to cooperate with the internal surface of said tubular sampler body, said sampler core slideable into said pressure vessel through said inlet conduit and said valve so that said sample receiving compartments are positioned in said predetermined locations whereby material within said vessel at said predetermined locations can enter said core sample receiving compartments between said core disc members, said tubular sampler body slideable into said vessel through said conduit and said valve over said core whereby said sealing means secured to said disc members cooperate with the internal surface of said tubular body to entrap segregated samples of material within said core compartments, locking means to lock said core and said tubular body to each other with said samples entrapped 'therebetween, said core and said tubular body being removable simultaneously from said vessel to Withdraw said entrapped samples from said vessel, said valve closeable to prevent material from passing out of said pressure vessel through said inlet conduit, and said sampler core, said sampler body, and said securing collar removable as a unit from said inlet conduit to transport said entrapped solids to remote locations for examination.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 243,948 Newell July 5, 1881 2,004,568 Carpinello June 11, 1935 3,007,340 Kraftson Nov. 7, 1961 

4. APPARATUS FOR SAMPLING MATERIAL FROM PREDETERMINED LOCATIONS WITHIN A PRESSURE VESSEL COMPRISING AN INLET CONDUIT HAVING AN OUTER END PORTION AND AN INNER END FIXED TO THE WALL OF SAID PRESSURE VESSEL TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE INTERIOR OF SAID VESSEL, FULL OPENING VALVE MEANS IN SAID INLET CONDUIT OPERABLE TO SEALINGLY CLOSE SAID CONDUIT OR TO PROVIDE FULL OPENING FOR SAID CONDUIT WHEREBY A SAMPLER MAY BE INSERTED THERETHROUGH, SAID INLET CONDUIT BEING EXTERNALLY THREADED ON SAID OUTER END PORTION TO RECEIVE AN INTERNALLY THREADED SAMPLER SECURING COLLAR, A SAMPLER SECURING COLLAR THREADED ONTO SAID CONDUIT AND SLIDINGLY AND SEALINGLY RECEIVING A TUBULAR SAMPLER BODY FOR RECIPROCATION RELATIVE TO SAID COLLAR, SAID SAMPLER BODY MOVABLE INTO SAID PRESSURE VESSEL THROUGH SAID INLET CONDUIT AND SAID OPEN VALVE, A SAMPLER CORE COAXIALLY RECEIVED WITHIN SAID TUBULAR SAMPLER BODY AND RECIPROCAL RELATIVE THERETO, SAID SAMPLER CORE HAVING AN ELONGATED SHAFT PORTION WITH A PLURALITY OF SPACED DISC MEMBERS SECURED THERETO, SAID SPACED DISC MEMBERS FORMING A PLURALITY OF SAMPLE RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS THEREBETWEEN, SEALING MEANS FIXED TO EACH OF SAID DISC MEMBERS TO COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR SAMPLER BODY, SAID SAMPLER CORE SLIDEABLE INTO SAID PRESSURE VESSEL THROUGH SAID INLET CONDUIT AND SAID VALVE SO THAT SAID SAMPLE RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS ARE POSITIONED IN SAID PREDETERMINED LOCATIONS WHEREBY MATERIAL WITHIN SAID VESSEL AT SAID PREDETERMINED LOCATIONS CAN ENTER SAID CORE SAMPLE RECEIVING COMPARTMENTS BETWEEN SAID CORE DISC MEMBERS, SAID TUBULAR SAMPLER BODY SLIDEABLE INTO SAID VESSEL THROUGH SAID CONDUIT AND SAID VALVE OVER SAID CORE WHEREBY SAID SEALING MEANS SECURED TO SAID DISC MEMBERS COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID TUBULAR BODY TO ENTRAP SEGREGATED SAMPLES OF MATERIAL WITHIN SAID CORE COMPARTMENTS, LOCKING MEANS TO LOCK SAID CORE AND SAID TUBULAR BODY TO EACH OTHER WITH SAID SAMPLES ENTRAPPED THEREBETWEEN, SAID CORE AND SAID TUBULAR BODY BEING REMOVABLE SIMULTANEOUSLY FROM SAID VESSEL TO WITHDRAW SAID ENTRAPPED SAMPLES FROM SAID VESSEL, SAID VALVE CLOSEABLE TO PREVENT MATERIAL FROM PASSING OUT OF SAID PRESSURE VESSEL THROUGH SAID INLET CONDUIT, AND SAID SAMPLER CORE, SAID SAMPLER BODY, AND SAID SECURING COLLAR REMOVABLE AS A UNIT FROM SAID INLET CONDUIT TO TRANSPORT SAID ENTRAPPED SOLIDS TO REMOTE LOCATIONS FOR EXAMINATION. 